The analog circuits embodied in semiconductor material are typically used for computation or sampling. When used for sampling, a number of undesirable effects are often seen, including gamma or unipolar transient effects. Typically such analog circuits are used as averagers or integraters where the incoming signal is sampled over a period of time. Analog sampling circuits responding as peak detectors often suffer from noise associated with signals which are corrupted with negative polarity gamma or other unipolar transient voltage shifts.
The prior art analog signal processing circuits could not perform the dual tasks of analog signal averaging and gamma suppression, also known as transient suppression. Prior art circuits have employed averaging techniques that require a substantial number of components. A prior art signal averager designed for 64 averages would require approximately 50 times the area of the present invention. The prior art's need for capacitors dictates large area usage. Also prior art signal averaging circuits are limited in the number of averages attained due to dynamic range considerations.
The circuit of the invention responds to small signals and works as a peak detector. The circuit of the invention differs from prior art peak detectors because it averages small signals.
It is therefore the motivation of the invention to provide a peak detector that averages small signals and requires small amounts of silicon real estate.